Means for checking horses.



T. TODISCO.

MEANS FOR GHBOKING HORSES. APPLICATION FILED snr'r. 3,1908.

91 1,183. ratenteareb. 2, 1909.

mwm kof,

TosIA ToDIsoo, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR CHECKING HORSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

Application sied september 3, 1908. seriaiNo. 451,501.

, To all whom it may concern: I

Be it knownthat I, ToBIAToDIsoo, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Phila-v delphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Checking Horses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates toemergency mechanclosed when desired and the passage V,of airv therethrough stopped, .thus bringing the horse to a standstill.

rlhe object of my invention vis to provide a simple device of this character, which is absolute inp'its action ,and which lmay be easily supported from the yhead stall of the harness.

My invention consists in vproviding casings located on either side of the horses head adjacent to the nostrils, each of these casings having mounted therein a presser button adapted to contact with the horses nostrils just above the opening thereof, and each operated by an electro-magnet carried in said casing and electrically connected with a battery and switch carried in any convenient manner.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective view of a horses head with my device a lied thereto. Fig. 2, is a front view of tlfe ower portion of the horses head, the two casings and boxes being shown in section. Fig. 3, is an interior view of one of the boxes, the casing being broken away, and Fig. 4, is an inside face view of one of the boxes detached. n Y

Like reference characters throughout the several views designate like parts.

A designates a box or casing of any desired sha e preferably made of aluminium or other lig t and yet strong material, the box being of such size that it may have a firm bearing against the cheeks of a horse. Mounted in each of the boxes A is a lever B, one end of which forms the armature of an electromagnet C suitably mounted within the case ing, while the other end thereof is pivotally attached to the curved shank D of a presser button E. As will be seen from Fig. 3, the shank D is curved and slotted, a guide pin F passing through said slot and being attached to the casing. The shank D projects 'teriaL through an opening a formed in the inside face of the casing. 1 Exterior to said opening is ay button ,E which `is preferably rounded and has a surface covered with leather, chamois skin, rubber, or other suitable ma- A wire G leads Vfrom the electro-magnet C out of the casing to the carriage (not shown) and to the opposite magnet. Supported in the carriage or upon the horse or in any other convenient manner is a battery II in circuit with said magnets.

rThere are two boxes or casings A, one located on either side of the horse s head at a point just above the nostrils of the horse. These 'are connected by a band of metal I or other suitable material, which in turn is attached to a strap J on the bridle or other harness which encirclesthe horses head in the manner .of a head stall. `The connecting band I :may be attached to the strap J in any suitable manner'as by vthe `clips I. A chin ,strap or chain K is attached to the lower portion of the boxes and passes beneath the horses chin. The chin strap K and the band I should be of such length as to hold the box A rigidly in position so that they will not be forced outward `when the'presser buttons E are forced inward against the nostrils of the horse. It is for this reason that the band I should be of metal or other relatively rigid material.

The operation of my device is as follows:Vr

The casings are attached in the position shownfin Fig. 1 so that the buttons E will be `located just above theopening of the nostrils. The wires G extend ,to the carriage or to the saddle if the horse is being ridden instead of being driven. VAny suitable switch L is located within the carriage or on the saddle which may be actuated by the fingers or feet. Under normal circumstances the switch is open and thecircuit through the electro-magnets C broken. If however it is desired to check the horse upon a sudden emergency, it is only necessary to throw the switch when current will pass to the electromagnets, they will become energized, attract the end of the lever B and force upward the shank D. This shank D has sufficient lay at its point of connection with the lever so that as the outer end of the lever moves u ward the shank will turn on its pivot and ige forced outward through the slot a, thereby forcing the presser buttons attached to the shank suddenly inward against the nostrils of the horse and closingthe saine, thus cutting olip his supply oi' air and bringing him to a very quick stop.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A horse checking device comprising two presser buttons adapted to close against a horses nostrils, electro-magnets for actuating said presser buttons and said magnets in an electric circuit including a source oll electricity, and a circuit closer or switch.

2. In a horse checking device, opposed casings adapted to be located on either side oi' the horses head adjacent to the nostrils thereof, presser buttons havin@ shanks entering said casings, a lever attaczhed to each of said shanks adapted to force them inwardly against the nostrils of the horse, and electromagnets for actuating said levers, said mage nets being connected in circuit with a battery and switch.

3. In a horse checking` device, opposed easings adapted to be located on either side of the horses head adjacent to the nostrils thereof, connections between said casings, presser buttons having curved Shanks projecting through the inside walls of said casings, a lever in each 'casing-pivoted to the wall thereof pivotally connected to said' shank at one end and having an ariiiatiire formed on the other end thereof, an electroinagnet located adjacent to each arniature in each casing, and electric wires connecting the magnets in circuit with each other, with a battery and with a switch.

4. In a horse checking device, opposed casings, bands connecting said casings, inoans for supporting said casings lroin the head stall' ol a horse in such manner that said casings shall be located on both sides ol the horses head adjacent to the nostrils thereof, a lever located in each casino' an inwardly o curved shank pivotally connected to one end o'l' said lever, an armature `l'ornied on the other end of said lever, a presser button attached to each oll said shanks on the inside lace of said casing, a guide pin passing through a curved slot on each shank, an electro-magnet located in each casing adjacent to the armature end ol' said lever and connections froin both of said electro-magnets to a battery and sii'itch.

In testimony whereof l have signed in v naine to this specification in the presence olA two subscribing witnesses.

TOBI TODSCO.

Witnesses:

FREDERIC B. Wliireii'i, n J. A. L. MULHALL. 

